Hengchun Three Treasures Introduction
In the past, the three treasures of Hengchun were "Qiongma, onions, and port tea," while today they are "Qiongma, onions, and watermelon." With the passage of time, watermelon and onions continue to be the primary agricultural products of the Hengchun Peninsula, but Qiongma has gradually declined due to changes in Taiwan's industry. Today, only the "Qiongma Industrial History Exhibition Hall" remains, allowing visitors to understand the development and decline of Qiongma in the past, serving as a testament to the once-thriving Qiongma industry. Qiongma: Among the three treasures of Hengchun, Qiongma is the most famous and historically significant. Qiongma in Taiwan was introduced by American consul Dewitt, initially only tried for cultivation at the Taipei Agricultural Experiment Station, and the following year, several Qiongma plants were relocated to the Hengchun Tropical Cultivation Station. Due to the success of the trial, large-scale cultivation began; in 1918, machinery began to be imported, leading to the mechanization of Qiongma production. The applications of hemp are diverse; besides being used for ropes, it is widely used for hammocks, burlap bags, shoes, mattresses, carpets, brushes, and paper, and even as packaging material in farms and factories. With promising prices, the residents of Hengchun flocked to the mountains to cut down trees and planted Qiongma seedlings on all usable land. At its peak, production reached 200 tons a month, earning the title "Light of the Orient." At its best, the price of Qiongma once rose to NT$12 per kilogram, making the residents of Hengchun wealthy, to the point it became a local saying, "Qiongma makes high buildings rise." However, with the rise of industry and fierce international market competition, prices plummeted, and the profitability of Qiongma cultivation diminished significantly. Thus, Qiongma in Hengchun began its decline, only for village residents to redirect their enthusiasm for Qiongma cultivation towards the emerging tourism industry. Onions: The barren gravel soil and strong winter downslope winds of the Hengchun Peninsula are suitable for onion bulb growth. Moreover, the stronger the downslope wind, the better the onion quality. After introducing over 30 varieties from the United States in the 1950s, Hengchun became the main onion production area in Taiwan, even accounting for 80% of Japan's total onion imports in the 1970s. During the busy onion season in March and April each year, piles of golden onions can be seen shimmering in the sun by the roadside. To market onions, the Checheng Township Farmers' Association combines tourism to hold the "Hengchun Onion Festival/Carnival," while also developing many onion by-products, making onions a representative specialty of Pingtung County. Port Tea: Port tea is produced in Gangkou Village of Manjhou Township, located at the mouth of Gangkou Creek. It is said that during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, the county magistrate loved tea, but there were no tea trees in the Hengchun Peninsula to drink fresh tea. Therefore, a batch of tea seeds was purchased from Anxi, Fujian, and planted in Hengchun and Manjhou for testing, leading to a successful cultivation in Gangkou Village. The hillside, sheltered from the northeast monsoon and facing the southwest monsoon, receives abundant rainfall, making it suitable for tea tree cultivation, hence the name Port Tea. Port tea is primarily planted on sloped terraces and can be harvested year-round, although the planting area is small, with an annual production of about 600 kilograms. The tea is expensive, especially the spring and winter teas. Due to the climatic and soil influences, the biggest characteristic of Port Tea is its strong bitterness, high concentration, and durability in brewing, along with a rich and fragrant aroma, which leaves a lasting aftertaste. It has a unique taste and is said to have remarkable effects on treating coughs and colds when consumed with rock sugar, becoming one of the specialties of Kenting National Park. Watermelon: In recent years, the Hengchun Peninsula has utilized the riverbeds of Siouguluan Creek and Fenggang Creek to plant watermelons during the winter downslope wind season, making it the only place in Taiwan that produces watermelons in winter. The red flesh of the watermelons is as passionate as the bright sun of the Hengchun Peninsula, and the locally grown watermelons are sweet, crisp, and juicy with an excellent texture. Therefore, watermelons are gradually replacing port tea as one of Hengchun's three treasures.
Port Tea
Qiongma Industrial History Exhibition Area
